The Friends of Windjammers Days made a grand choice in their selection to lead this year’s parade. Boothbay Region High School senior Page Brown is this year’s grand marshal. Brown was selected by a three-person committee (Stephanie Hawke, Rosemary Bourette and John Bertolet) to ride in a convertible leading the parade.

The committee selects a person who exemplifies community spirit. In past years, the committee selected grand marshals with decades’ long legacies of community service. But the committee took a different approach this year.  It selected the youngest grand marshal in Windjammers Street Parade history.

Brown began watching the parade as a child. In recent years, she’s viewed it while working in a downtown Boothbay Harbor shop. The committee notified Brown about her selection last fall during a field hockey clinic.

“It was completely unexpected,” Brown said. “In past years it’s gone to people who have made a big mark in the community. Just being considered is one thing, but being chosen is another. This is really a great honor.”

For the committee, Brown’s selection met several important goals. “She’s a good citizen. She is community-minded. And she’s young. We really wanted a younger person this year, and Page is someone who definitely fits all the criteria,” Hawke said.

Despite her young age, Brown is one of the most recognizable people in the region. She has made her mark in the classroom, athletic fields and community service during her high school days. Brown is the senior class president and Class of 2018 salutatorian. She is a National Honor Society member and 2018 Maine Principals’ Association award recipient.

She is involved in the school’s Interact Club and chief editor of the school newspaper and yearbook. In 2017, Brown received recognition from three prestigious learning institutions for her strong character, academic excellence and athletic achievement. She received Dartmouth, Wellesley and Harvard Junior Book Awards.

In the community, she has coached youth sports and volunteered with the all-girl basketball skills demonstration squad the “Lady Dribblers.”

This spring, Brown completes her fourth year as the starting lacrosse goalie. Her team qualified for the Class B North tournaments in 2016 and 2017. In field hockey, she was a midfielder this fall as the team recorded it best ever season. Brown was named to the Maine Field Hockey Class C All-State Team by the Maine Coaches Association. She was named to the All-State Academic team. Brown set the school record for assists. She was also named twice to the All-Mountain Valley Conference team.

But it was on the hardwood where Brown shined the brightest. Brown was a four-year starter on teams which made the tournament each season. In 2016, Brown  played a key role in Boothbay winning its first Western Maine Class C championship in 32 years. Also that year, she won the tournament’s Robin Colcord Award as the outstanding player and sportsman.

In 2018, Brown became a 1,000-point scorer and was a finalist for Miss Maine Basketball. She scored 1,395 career points, which is second in the school’s girls basketball history. She was an All-USA Today Maine selection, a two-time MVC Most Valuable Player, and a three time All-MVC first team player and conference scoring champion.

Brown will attend Saint Joseph’s College in Standish this fall. Her career ambition is becoming an teacher. She is considering pursuing coaching or athletic administration. She will also play for the Saint Joseph women’s basketball team.

This year’s parade is Wednesday, June 27 at 4 p.m.